Aerial vehicle or other structure



PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

A. G. BELL. AERIAL VEHICLE OR OTHEKSTRUGTUEE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 190

S SHBETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

vvil'nmsco No. 770,626. PATENTED SEPT 20, 1904. A. G. BEL-L.

AERIAL VEHICLE OR OTHER STRUCTURE.

APPLIOATIONIILED JUNE 1. 1903.

- a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

game/wife;

PATENTED $EPT. 20, 1904 A, G. BELL. AERIAL VEHICLE OR OTHER STRUCTURE.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

aiji zwwufj APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1903.

NO MODEL.

witmzaaao of strength and stability nib; 770,626.

' Patented. September 2Q, 1904- U Nrran smear Para-arr rains. I

ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL,

' Assam. variants ca o-mere set-sucrose. f

SEEECIEICATIONfOrming part as Letters Eatent N0. 770,626, dated September 20, 1904. v

I Application filed June 1, 1903. Serial No. 159,656. (No modeLl i To all whom it may concern:

- Be it known that I, ALEXANDER GRAHAM Berna resident of Washington, District of- Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aerial Vehicles or other Structures, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

The present invention is-the result of investigations' conducted with a view more particularly to the determination of the form and character of structure most suitable to the requirements of aerial vehicles; and the invention while specially applicable thereto has additional and important applications to other structures where the properties of great strength and rigidity combined with lightness are required and Where facility in transporting and assembling the elements of the structure is desirable.

:The investigations above referred to have been conducted with structures used as kites, the observations being directed to the qualities sions'and to steadiness in flight as well as to comparative lifting power.

I The recent developments in kite structure have been'largely due to the investigations of Laurence Hargrave, the results of which are represented in the well-known cellular boxkite. Although multicellular kites havebeen constructed upon the Hargrave principle, they have notbeen found to possess any substantial advantage over one composed of two cells jg kite is one composed only. Hence the familiar form of Hargrave of two rectangular cells. These two cells are disposed with their' corresponding surfaces in the same planes and areseparated by a considerable space bridged over by a connecting framework of solid material, which is an essential'feature of the structure and adds weight to' the kite without contributing to the lift. The rectangular cell is structurally weak and easily distorted, re-' quiring internal bracing, which also adds to the dead load besides oppdsing additional head resistance to the wind, itcrcasing the drift of the kite. Moreover, there is a limitation to the lifting power of kites of this description, since the mere 'increase'of the dimensions of 5 the kite in its several parts does not increase 'fering only in in all three dimen-- .of these elements the lifting power'proportionately to the supportingsurfaces, but just the reverse. This is due to the factthat the weight increases as the cube of th'e'dimensions, whereas the surface exposed to the action of the air increases only as the square.- Hence in two kites difdimensions the ratio of weight to surface will be greater for the larger kite than for the smaller. v i

I have found thatthe desired qualities mentioned above reside in a constructed in the form of a skeleton of a tetrahedron, and cells of this form constitute the units or elements from which a great variety of structures contemplated by this invention'are or may be bui he'dral skeleton or frame may or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

.60 high'degreein a cell it up. The tetrabe composed of six bars or rods so connectedat their ends as to form the outlines of four triangles. If, as is preferred, the form is that of a regular tetand the triangles will be equilateral. For some purposes a tetrahedral frame in which two of the sides are right-angled triangles is advan tage0us,jandfor other pu rposes the bars may be hollow or constitute closed tubes capable of floating in water and may be triangular in cross-section. This tetrahedral cell or frameis foundto possess,

terials, the qualities of rigidity and strengthto a remarkable degree and for this. reason is.

' rahedron', the bars will be of equal length, ,l

with minimum weight of maadaptable to a great variety of structural uses. 7

Moreover, the finishedfstructu res compoundedpartake of the qualities of the latter, and the facility with which they may be assembled, connected and dismembered, and the ease of transportation from 'place to place further contribute vertically, laterally, and longito their utility, Con-' side'ring particularly the subject of aerial vehicles, such as kites,the tetrahedral cell pos sesses rigidity or strength in three directionsvthat isto say,

tudinally-so thatinternal bracing 1S entirely d'withi When one keel and the two superfluous and'is dispense of the bars is taken as a are covered with silk or' other suitable material, the other two triangles, being left uncovered, we have a structure which I calla winged tetrahedral cell.- Each of the obopposite triangular surfaces rising thcrefromi roo.

' ments.

construction.

Structures of many different forms may be compounded of tetrahedral elements, and it isnot possible to state with certainty at this time what form will yield the best results for purposesof'aerial locomotion. A prime desideratum for an aerial vehicle is stability in three directionsz'. vertical stability, and horizontal stability. Anotherdesirable object is that the vehicle when lowered should descend steadily without oscillation or pitching and should settle gently upon the surface of the ground or water. I have found that these objects aresecured in a very high degree-by following the tetrahedral principle in the assembling-or compounding of the elements as well as in their For example, we may connect four tetrahedral elements in such manner that the resulting structure has itself the outline of a tetrahedron, and we may again on nect four of these compound elements to form a tetrahedral structure of still larger size. As far as this operation has been carried the compounded structure has been found to possess all the useful properties of the individual elements. These elements have also been applied to the construction of boats, wind-breaks, &c., and are obviously available for various structures, such as. temporary bridges, scaffolding, and the like.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate clearly the principle of the invention and its embodiment in some of the many forms to which it is applicable.

Figure l is a plan view of a single tetrahedral element. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the element with two of its triangles covered, so as to constitute wings. Fig. 3 illustrates a structure composed of four winged tetrahedral elements so connected together as to form a tetrahedral outline. Fig. 4 illustrates a framework composed of four compound tetrahedral elements'such as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a tetrahedral nut for connecting the tetrahedral elements in a compound structure. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a corner-piece or coupling-blockv for joining the ends of the bars composing the skeleton framework of a tetrahedral clement. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the end of one of said bars. Fig. 8 is a a, fore-and-aft stability,

perspective view showing the ends of three bars connected by a corner piece or block and a tetrahedral nut. Fig. 9 illustrates a. structure composed of four tetrahedral elements wherein corner pieces and tetrahedral nuts, such as shown in preceding figures, are employed. in this view the size of the bars, nuts, and corner-pieces relative to the outside dimensions of the complete structure is exaggerated for clearness of illustration. Fig. 10 is a front view illustrating diagrammatically a kite structure composed of fourwinged cells.

The skeleton tetrahedral element, Fig. 1, is composed of the six equal bars l 11, 12, 13. 14, and 15, united at their corners in any suitable way. As shown in Fig. 2, two of the triangles 16 and 17 are covered, constitoting triangular oblique wings or surfaces diverging upwardly from the bar 10, which constitutes a keel, and connected at their upper corners by the bar The other two triangles 11 l5 l4 and 12 15 13 are open or uncovered.

Fig. 3 shows a structure composed of four winged cells 117) 0d, each constructed as shown in Fig. 2., these four cells being connected at their corners in such manner that the complete structure itself has the outline of a tetrahedron, and it will be obvious without further illustration that in building up still larger structures the compound element (represented by Fig. 3) can be treated as asiinple element.

Fig. 4 illustrates a framework composed of four compound in Fig. 3-. a, of sixteen tetrahedral cells, like Fig. 1.

Attentionis called to the fact that in combining four tetrahedral structures into the form of a tetrahedron on a larger scale on the plan shown there is left a central vacant space 19 of octahedral form. The boundary-lines of this space may be traced follows: beginning at the point 40 to 4:1 to $2 to 43 and back to 40, in the transverse direction from 40 to 44 to 42 to 45 and back to 4'0, and in the horizoutal direction 41 to 44 to .3 to 45 and back to ll. As we proceed to build up still larger tetrahedral forms this space becomes larger, contributing to the stability of the structure in liigbtusdoes the interspace in the Hargrave kite; but no necessity exists for a framework extending across it, as in the case of the Hargrave kite, the mode of construction affording solidity without such additional framework. The only portions of the framework not utilized for the support of aeroplanes are the cross-bars at the tops of the cells. This will be obvious from Fig. 3. It will also be observed that the ratio of weight to wingsurface is the same in the four-celled strucelements, such as illustrated I turn shown in Fig. 3 as in the single cell of Fig.

tained in the individual cells themselves, like the framework between the cells of the Har- This of course could not be if there were deadnrcight in the structure not congrave fkite. ,It certainly a unique feature oftetrahedral' construction that the largest flying structures compounded out of winged cells weigh no more relatively to their wingsurfaces than the elementary cells of which they are composed. Considering the structure of Fig. 3, it will be-ndted that it presents they feature oftwo Winged. cells a I; separated in a longitudinal direction, this feature'imparting the longitudinal stability characteristic of the Hargrave' box-kite.- It also has two winged cells, as a c,-

separated from each other in a vertical direction, and two winged cells 0 dseparated in a lateral directiom'which peculiarities of construction impart to the structure stability-in the vertical and lateral directions, so thatthe structures possesses a whole what may be termed three-dimensionalstability, as well as three-dimensional rigidity. Further, it will be noted that owing to the relations which the wing-surfaces sustain to the uncovered or I open spaces there are no superposed wingsurfaces and no overlapping of surfaces in the.

vertical direction. In other words, a line drawn vertically th'rough the structure at any point will pass through one and one only of the wing-surfaces. The same statements hold truebf large structures compounded as shown above, regardless of the extent to which the compounding is carried.

-at their corners must comprise at least fourenty degreesv each surface makes an grees.

It will be observed that a compound structure built up of tetrahedral elements united elements and that a tetrahedral element does not become an integral 'part of a compound structure unless at least threeof its corners are attached to the corners of other elements.

The wing-surfaces shown in Figs. 2 and 3 form with each other an angle of about sevangle with the horizon of about fifty-five de- The angle of most effective-lifting I power as found empirically is from thirty-five effective.

; capsize.

* capacity, all the wings or surfaces on each side of the central vertical plane of the kite or vehicle should diverge upwardly from said central piane, fthe surfaces which diverge downwardly from said plane being left uncovered. To illustrate this, reference is made to Fig. 10, which shows a-front view of a kite inflying position, the dotted line m a repre-- 5 senting the central vertical plane of the structure. The surfaces 0 p q 7', (indicated by heavy 'lines,) which surfaces diverge upwardly from plane m n, are the covered vor'wing surfaces,

while the surfaces 8 t, (indicated by light lines and diverging downwardly from said plane.)

are uncovered. It will be understood that if the. kite should tilt downwardly to the right,

all the covered surfaces (0 and 'p in the illus-' tration) will approach closer to the angle of most effective lifting power, while the opposite surfaces 1 r reeede farther from that angle, thus developing a tendency'to restore the equilibrium. If, however, the surfaces 8 and t were covered, the supposed change of position 30 would diminish the lifting effect of the former and increase that of the latter, thus developing a tendency in opposition to that of the other surfaces. This principle is manifestly applicable to kites or other aerial vehicles composed 5 of a'greater number of cells than that illustrated in Fig. 10 and to cellular structures in which the cells or elementsare of forms other than tetrahedralfor example, it is applicable to multi-cellular kites orivehicles composed of 9 triangular cells, as described in my Patent No.

757,012, dated April 12, 1904.

In connecting together the six bars eonst1- tuting an element and inconnecting several elements together use may be made of a tetrahedral connecting-nut 20, (illustrated in Fig. 5,) also of a coupling-piece or corner-piece 21. (Illustrated in Fig. 6.) Theconnecting-nut 20,

preferably solid and of metai, has in the center of each of its four faces a screw-threaded I00 socket or opening 27, extending inwardly per- 'pendicular to the plane of its face. The cornerpiece 21 is in the shape of a frustum of a tetrahed ron and may be made of wood. It is grooved at 22 along three of its edges for receiving 5 tongues 23, Fig. 7, on the three bars which are secured to and connected by said couplingpiece. As will be apparent, the upper and lower faces of the corner-piece in the position in which itis shown in Fig. Gare parallel. 28 no is an opening, passing entirely through the' corner-piece perpendicular to said parallel faces; ln'assembling the bars, corner-piece, and tetrahedral connecting-nut and in securing them together in the manner shown in Fig. 8 one face'of said connecting-nut fits against the smaller (the upper face, Fig. 6). of the two parallel faces of the corner-piece I and against the end surfacesidt), Fig. 7, of the three bars, said .end surfaces being flush with 9 A bolt said smaller face ofthe corner-piece. 24, Fig. 5, screw-threaded at opposite ends, engages at one end in the screw-threaded socket 27 in one face of the tetrahedral conmeeting-nut and passes through and projects 5 from the opening 28 in the corner-piece. A washer 25 is'then slipped over said UI'OJOCtmg end of the bolt and a screw-threaded nut 26 or cell in m- 1EClll but only: 0116.,"21WU, or tlnce o. utilized, depending upon the In ments used-and the menncr in whioi be grouped. [is ehown in 9., each the six nuts 31 has two of its faces utilized for the attachment of cells, while the nuts 32 at the four. corners of the structure have only one face utilized.'

it is not essential for any purpose that the compound structure should have the form of a tetrahedron, and for some purposes such form is inadmissible. The tetrahedral skele tons or cells are units orelements susceptible of combination in men; ways; but the tetrahedral form of the compounded structurehas hern specially mentioned because excellent results have been obtained therewith in kite construction, nor is it essential in all cases that a sketeton framework should be employed. For example, it will be seen by reference to Fig. 2 that the two triangular surfaces 16 17 may be thin sheets of metal, such as aluminium, connected at their upper cormore by the cross-piece l5, and that these two wings maybe formed of a single sheet of aluminium bent along one of the diagonals.

Having now'fully explained the principle of my said inventionend the mannerin which the some is or may be applied in practice, what i claim isi. A structure whose framework is com-- posed essentially of skeleton tetrahedral elements combined with means whereby the ad.- jacent elements are directly connected at two or more of their corners. I v

2. A framework compounded essentially of elements each of which is the, skeleton of a regular tetrahedron. I

3. An acriel vehicle having :1 framework composed essentially of tetrulicdrei elements directly connected at two or more their corners, and having wings or surfaces:

4. An aerial vehicle compris 1g winged tetruhedrnl cells connected togctl er, ouch cell l)ei|u ;-:lircctl connected at three or more of its corners with other cells.

An :iei'inl vehicle comprising connected winged cells cnch of which has the outlinev of El, regular tetrahedron.

An aerial vehicle cum n-icing four or ele iczit more tetrahedral cells directly connected at :0 or more of their corners and having the ziterel triangular faces covered to constitute oolique wings or surfaces and the for-and-aft open 7. aerial vehicle comprising tetrahedral cells connected at their corners so that the complete structure has the outline of a tetrahedron.

51%. An aerial vehicle whose body has the outline of a regular tetrahedron. comprisinigconnected cells of regular tetrahedral form. L

9. The combination with bars or strips forming a. tetrahedral frame, ol'a nut of tetrahedral form connecting the meeting ends of the bars or strips.

10. The combination with burs or strips forming at tetrahedral element, of a nut of tetrahedral form,end a. corner-piece grooved to receive the oars or strips, said nut and corner-piece connecting the meeting ends of the bars or strips.

11. The combination with two or more tetrened rel elements, of tetrahedral nuts uniting adjacent elements at their corners.

- 1. in an aerial vehicle, the combination with the framework composed of cellular elements connected together, of oblique aeroplanes all diverging upwardly from the central vertical olane of the structure, obposite or.

diverging planes making an angle with each other of less than ninety degrees.

13. in an aerial vehicle, a Winged cell or element comprising a. framework having the form of a skeleton of a regular tetrahedron.

M. An aerial vehicle, comprising winged cells or elements connected to form a. compound winged structure, wherein the ratio of weight to supporting-surface is not greater than the individual cells or elements.

15. An aerial vehicle whose body is. composed of fouror more winged tetrahedral cells directly connected together at two or more of their cornersmul having an interspace of large size relative to that of the individual cells.

145 An aerial vehicle whose body is com- ,posed of winged tetrahedral cells connected 

